A research-based publication of the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne

Melbourne Asia Review is a peer-reviewed open access journal-magazine featuring articles by researchers on Asia’s societies, politics, languages and cultures, designed to inform a broader readership as well as academic audiences through interdisciplinary research and expert analysis.

Editors in Chief’s Introduction

We’d like to welcome readers to the Melbourne Asia Review (MAR), which is published by the Asia Institute, University of Melbourne.

The Asia Institute is one of the world’s premier sites for research and teaching on Asia’s languages and societies, its politics, histories and cultures. MAR reflects the deep and broad expertise on Asia found among the Asia Institute’s researchers and students and our active collaborators around the world. Such expertise not only ranges across many disciplines but also the various sub-regions of the continent, from the Middle East to East and Southeast Asia.

Our editorial mission and scope

Economic, political and cultural dynamics have ensured sustained scholarly attention on Asia, though perhaps not to the extent that would be expected in Australia, which is tied closely to the region in so many ways. The popular Australian press, while reporting regularly on Asia-related matters, has sometimes revealed a lack of appreciation for the complexities of Asia and the nuances in Australia’s connections with the region.

MAR seeks to fill a certain lacuna, where specialist knowledge can be conveyed in ways useful to an audience not just within academia – but also within policy-making circles, industry and civil society. Our articles retain academic rigour, sharpness and originality but without having to resort to ivory tower exclusivity.

Regional focus

While based in Australia, MAR also has an interest in bringing together and exhibiting expertise on Asia around the world, including within the region itself. We welcome authors who share a similar interest in engaging in productive conversations on a variety of Asia-related matters. We define Asia widely, including the Middle East, North Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Central Asia, North Asia and Southeast Asia.

Meet the Melbourne Asia Review team

Editors in Chief

• Professor Andrew Rosser, Director, Asia Institute
• Professor Vedi Hadiz, Asia Institute

Managing Editor

• Cathy Harper (BA (Hons) / LLB (Hons) UniMelb), Asia Institute

Editorial Board

• Jordan Bryan, School Manager, Asia Institute
• Professor Vedi Hadiz, Asia Institute
• Cathy Harper, Asia Institute
• Dr Nicola Fraschini, Asia Institute
• Associate Professor Ester Leung, Asia Institute
• Professor Kate McGregor, Associate Dean International, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne
• Professor Andrew Rosser, Director, Asia Institute
• Professor Abdullah Saeed, Asia Institute
• Professor Pradeep Taneja, Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne
• Dr Sow Keat Tok, Asia Institute

Melbourne Asia Review – FAQs

What is Melbourne Asia Review’s impact?

Melbourne Asia Review reaches a wide readership in Australia, the region and beyond, through its website, social media accounts and co-publishing with respected mainstream media and other publishers. Our readership outside Australia is mainly in the US, Indonesia, UK, India and the Philippines, but extends widely over the region and beyond.

How can I contribute to Melbourne Asia Review?

If you’d like to write an article relevant to academic and contemporary debates about Asia, please contact the Managing Editor (catherine.harper1@unimelb.edu.au) with a summary of the topic you’d like to address and some details about your professional background. Articles should be 2,000-2,500 words and written for a general as well as a scholarly audience. All potential contributions will be subject to Melbourne Asia Review’s rigorous peer-review and editorial processes.

Authors are responsible for the accuracy of their research and writing, which is also required to be free of plagiarism and may be subject to a plagiarism check by the editors. Authors must adhere to ethical standards including approval, if relevant, by ethics committees of your university or other institution especially if your article uses data collected from human subjects. Authors must also be free of a conflict of interest. Authors should disclose to the Managing Editor if they have used Artificial Intelligence tools for anything more than improving the readability and language of their work.

What’s the peer-review process at Melbourne Asia Review?

All potential contributions will be subject to our rigorous editorial processes, which includes a blind review of each article by an anonymous subject matter expert in the relevant field, as well as a close editing by the Managing Editor, with advice from each edition’s Contributing Editor/s and the Editorial Board.

Do I have to be an academic to contribute to Melbourne Asia Review?

Our articles are mostly by academics, including early career researchers, but anyone with specialist knowledge in an area can potentially be published by Melbourne Asia Review. Our experts work in many disciplines and are often located in the region.

What topics does Melbourne Asia Review cover?

Melbourne Asia Review publishes on a wide range topics related to Asia’s languages and societies, its politics, histories and cultures. We define Asia widely and accept topics about other parts of the world with an Asia-related link.

Can Melbourne Asia Review articles be republished?

MAR’s written content is published under Creative Commons unless stated otherwise on the article. It can be republished with attribution as long as it’s not changed and a link to the original is included.  Images may be under copyright to others.